


Worth Protecting

by vonuberwald (macabreromansu)



Series: Valentian Calestri [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Elezen Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, Friendship, Gen, Male Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Multi-Classed Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Unbeta'd
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-22
Updated: 2019-05-22
Packaged: 2020-03-09 18:38:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18922789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/macabreromansu/pseuds/vonuberwald
Summary: Leih and Silvairre visit and Valentian remembers what it's all about.





	Worth Protecting

**Author's Note:**

> Typed out on my phone without my glasses and unbeta'd rip, I just need to get my boy out there with his fave pals
> 
> I've not even finished ARR yet and if anything happens to my faves, I'm going to go bananas (I kid lol, I know what happens to at least one of them)

 

‘I don't see why he couldn't come back to Gridania, to the guild at least. It's not as though we don't have need of any hands we can get too!’ A voice, barely loud enough to carry above the noise of the rest of the inn's patrons rang out just as Valentian entered, intending to pick up a late lunch before heading back to the Waking Sands.

 

It was a familiar voice, all the more surprising for the fact that, apart from not having seen the owner for weeks, he hadn't been sure that Silvairre would have ever dragged himself out of Gridania on pain of death.

 

Another familiar voice piped up and Valentian spotted a pair of hunting hats in the corner, one at a considerably taller height than the other. Smiling to himself, he motioned to the innkeep, who knew him in sight now, and walked over to the table.

 

Leih looked as lively as ever, some kind of blue concoction with a paper umbrella in it in front of her, and Silvairre… Silvairre had what looked like a cup of Gridania leaf tea in front of him, not unusual in itself, though the Twelve only knew who he had bullied to get the porcelain teacup and saucer from instead of the colourful clay cups the locals preferred.

 

They both looked up as he drew near, Leih almost knocking the entire table over as she whooped and hugged Valentian around the middle.

 

‘It's so good to see you!’ She exclaimed, sitting back down and ignoring Silvairre's glower as he protected their drinks  Valentian nodded to.him and he nodded solemnly back, although there was a gleam to his eyes that let on that he was happier than he seemed.

 

‘We weren't sure if would be able to get to see you today! Lucane gave us the week off, on rotation, and we thought, ‘hey why not go and see where our old friend Valentian went, since he never writes!’’ The last was emphasised with a mock-pout and a swift poke to Valentian's chest, which he didn't even try and dodge.

 

‘I'm sorry,’ he said, smiling broadly despite his exhaustion. ‘Things have just been so-’

 

‘Oh, I know!’ Leih said, with a wry smile. ‘You probably haven't had more than a few moments to yourself for ages.’

 

‘You need to take better care of yourself,’ Silvairre piped up. Valentian and Leih looked over at him incredulously.

‘What? A good archer needs to keep themselves well-maintained as well as their weapon. If these Scions aren't-’ He seemed to realise he was raising his voice somewhat, although no one else in the lunchtime crowd even batted an eyelid, and subsided, clearing his throat.

 

Valentian caught Leih's gaze when Silvairre turned his head away, the tips of his ears red, and rolled his eyes. The miqo'te giggled silently, taking a sip of her own brightly-coloured drink.

 

‘Silvairre,’ she started, a teasing lilt to her voice. ‘A ‘good to see you, Valentian' would have worked just fine, you know.’

 

It had been too long since he had seen anyone from his old guilds, let alone these two who he'd grown closer to than anyone else in all his time in Gridania thus far, and Valentian found himself able to relax a little, letting the familiar sound of their bickering wash over him.

 

The exhaustion and the heaviness of his heart after recent events seemed to have receded for the moment, the presence of his friends, people with whom he could forget, even just for a little while, a balm on his weary soul.

 

This was what he was fighting to protect, he decided as he leaned forward and joined in on the banter, Leih's easy laughs and Silvairre's barbed rejoinders, (no longer as bitter as they used to be and definitely playful now), serving to remind him what he'd gained, what he could lose.

 

The Garleans could _try_ and take this from him, he thought fiercely, and they would be the losers.

  



End file.
